Journal of Joey

Selena Gomez First Periscope at the #HotelT2 Premiere

I'm so excited about finally being able to share this!

#MyRealMomAdventures is something that I pondered up when I was invited to two totally different things a couple weeks ago. The one thing that was similar to both? They invited Boston to come along too! How sweet, right? He was a star. I was so beyond proud of him and his behavior. SHOCKING considering 2 celebrities, trains, planes & automobiles, a commercial shoot that lasted almost 12 hours, 2 GIANT cities.... Would he survive and would I SURVIVE? hahaha

It was worth every second for me. What memories with that little dude.

Hotel Transylvania 2 Premiere in Miami

There are really so many things I can say about this trip - but hopefully you'll catch the 13 minute vide recap! See SELENA GOMEZ DO THE WHIP NAE NAE & EVEN HER VERY FIRST TIME PERISCOPING!!

CHECK OUT OUR PICTURES FROM THE TRIP

Hi. I might be a little of my rocker and a bit slow in the midst of telling you all about my latest adventure. Maybe I'm on island time still. Or that my mind has not given up on it being vacation anymore either. Ahhhhh. Either way, kids go to school in my town on Tuesday and the thought of this amazing trip to Myrtle Beach is a constant smell of salt water in my memory!

This past week I was invited by the amazing team at My Myrtle Beach to come on a little trip to get familiar with the area. Now, you might remember my jaunt to celebrate my parents 40th wedding anniversary a few years ago. It was an amazing trip up until the very end when my older sister decided to take matters in her own hands on something. And honestly, that really put the kabosh on any love that I had from the trip. What a bummer, right? It all really seals the deal when you go on vacation with people who decide the outcome of your trip.

Well, it's been 5 years and this was a great opportunity to really get there and change the final outcome of my one and only trip to Myrtle Beach that happened in 2010. I actually even walked to the house that we stayed at when we were there and sat on the curb nearby and relived the trip in my mind.

You can't control everything in life - but you can take steps to make things better in YOUR life. And if that means retracing your steps on something and going for a different outcome than the one you had before? Do. IT. Cause now I can't even wait to go back to that beautiful place!

This year has been a tough one on me. From soured relationships to my dads health, my husband and I trying to get our house up to par, my kids growing older, and of course that conference that I planned in July that I no longer do. It was a bunch of ups and downs. And my church sermon on Sunday really put it out there. (Isn't it amazing how God doesn't give you what you can't handle in your life?) I won't go all into religion on you - but I will tell you this. The message was really about if you feed the beast it will grow - and if you starve it - it will die. So what I took from that message really was that the more I dwell on all the negative things that happened this year - the more it will continue to haunt me. But by doing things to make me a better person and focusing on ME and my family? All the bad will starve and die. (Well, at least the bad people in my life that has caused me hurt and heartache this year will *hopefully* disappear.)

BACK TO THE BEACH.

Myrtle Beach was a beautiful trip. I got to stay in this INSANELY amazing house that was literally ocean front. I opened my doors to the 3rd floor every morning and sat out on the deck watching the surfers. I sure loved that deck. I assume NO ONE saw me but at night, I'd go out there cranked my itunes and danced all alone. HA. Yes. That was ME. SOBER. Dancing on a deck. Frizzy hair in the ocean breeze. Jamming to my favorite music really pondering what I want to do next with my life.

I could sit here and tell you all about my trip or I could share with you the ways I really found myself in this trip.

First off - If you're in Philly, you can actually fly nonstop to MYR on Spirit Airlines. If you've never flown Spirit - do yourself a GIANT favor and get to know all of their secret rules and ways they like to sneak in fees. I'm not going to go into details on my flight horror in this post (but since they weren't a sponsor of this trip I'll happily share with you in a later post where they went wrong with ME and why I'll never fly them again.) BUT... if you're cool with their procedures - then nonstop to MYR is really the best way to go. You want to make sure you have a car when there too. It's impossible to get around the area without one, fyi.

7 Ways to Find Yourself in Myrtle Beach

Surround yourself with supportive people. Of course I was there with a group of very amazing & intelligent influencers that I actually never met before! (Except for Casey Mullins from Moosh in Indy) This event was perfect for that. I was totally myself with these women. What did I have to lose? Nothing. And I'm so glad I did.

Remember how you got there. No, no. I'm not talking what kind of transportation you took, I'm talking where you came from. And how you got there. Often times we get so caught up in the daily mundane we don't stop and think about how far we've come.

Visit something that brings out the kid in you. Ya know, I'm not gonna lie. At first I was like "an aquarium, museum and weird touch place? How on EARTH is that going to be relaxing? That's where I'd take my kids!" Ding Ding. The ladies who produced this thing knew exactly what they were doing. HA! We visited Ripley's Aquarium, Ripley's Believe It or Not!, WonderWorks & countless times I said out loud "I have to bring my kids here! They would love this!" So many things reminded me of my childhood too. So even though it's insanity when you have your kids' with you take a minute and do something you'd do WITH them so you feel that kid-karma.

Think in hashtags. I know you think I'm crazy - but think in hashtags for realz! Think about it. Hashtags are short, simple, to the point. And always expressive and the focus of your whole tweet, right? YES! Think in hashtags. #JustBe

Eat your face off. I am honestly STILL recovering from that gluttonous place of awesome! I don't know how I managed to not gain a pound. Seriously. God was sending me a gift with that one. Cause I enjoyed EVERY.SINGLE.BITE. from that trip. I mean everything. (And yes. I am going to have to do a post JUST on the eating along.)

Step out of your comfort zone but know when you need to step into you. So, the very last day the group went to a vineyard. We had just done an awesome day at a botanical garden (yes, story coming there too...) and my back was just causing me excruciating pain. So I excused myself from that part of the trip. And as gorgeous as I heard that place was, I am so so so so grateful that I did not go. Because I took a little walk and ended up in front of the house my family stayed. And I was able to set my intentions while setting those bad memories free. That totally rocked.

Change history. You know you can do that, right? Yep. And by visiting that place with the not so good memories, I was able to change history. And now I totally look at Myrtle Beach with my eyes wide open.

When can we go back again?

Be sure to return to get the reviews of Brookgreen Gardens, some of the best dining I've ever had at Tupelo Honey, Wicked Tuna & more... PLUS - need 5 fun things to do while in Myrtle Beach? We've got the list for you! Check back soon! Meanwhile, visit the Myrtle Beach site & check out their 60 Ways to Relax and Unwind!

We're heading to Tuckerton Seaport for their annual Food Truck Fest. Ya'll know how much I love this place. I really really like the place, but I have to tell you the truth. I LOVE the people who work there! Brooke & her amazing Seaport Sisters? ha. (Don't kill me Brooke for saying that!) But Brooke and her work family are some of the kindest, caring-ist people I've ever met! Seriously! Brooke is always sending me something. She's super sweet & I've absolutely loved working with her, Jackie, Dianne & the 'Tuckerton Team'.

Ok, so now that I'm a total CHEESE BALL lemme tell you about the CHEESE BALLS at TRUCKerton! Seriously. There is a food truck called Cow and the Curd and it is fried cheese curds!! Can you believe it? Making my mouth water now.

Ahem. Ok, so if you follow along with the hashtag on Saturday you can drool too. But don't drool on your phone. Cause that's not good. At all. But if you are up for a fun feast then join us! I'll be there with some of my blogging buddies popping the curds and drowning my sorrows in the velvet cake milkshakes?!?!? Lawd. This is going to be one heck of a day. lol

Have I told you how much I LOVE that I'm a Hershey, PA ambassador yet? I know. I shouldn't rub it in. But the thought of millions of lights surrounded by the sweet smell of chocolate in the sweetest place on Earth? I can NOT wait!

This summer, you saw that I got hit with the conundrum of the fact that Hershey has me questioning my other favorite place, Cape May!! Something about these two amazing history towns that cuddles up to my heart.

Over the summer it was SO HOTT. SO so SO SOOOOOO hott. We came, we saw and conquered. And now it's gonna be COLD! But hot cocoa will probably be the BOMB and flowing EVERYWHERE, right?

HOTEL HERSHEY

Built in 1933, Hotel Hershey sits as a member of Historic Hotels of America with 3 restaurants, indoor and outdoor pools, kids club and even a sweet mini-golf spot!

Hotel Hershey is a must do over the holidays! That has been something that I have heard over and over since moving to Philly 7 years ago. I'm thrilled that it's finally coming to fruition!

HIDDEN HERSHEY

There are really so many AMAZING things to do in Hershey BESIDES just eating chocolate ya know. Although that's never a BAD idea but there are so many great ideas that you can enjoy in Hershey, PA with your chocolate!

From the Spa at the Hotel Hershey where their have the most amazing hot cocoa to the ice skating, chocolate making at Hershey Story and more.

HERSHEYPARK HOLIDAYS

Ok, I'm off to experience and then return to share with you about CHRISTMAS IN HERSHEY!